Double Edged Blades
by Silent Scribe
Summary: Ever wonder about Sesshomaru's reasons behind his actions? Questions and answers! But there's two sides to every blade, rivetting drama and screwy humor.
1. Chasing Ghosts

Question: Why does Sesshomaru covet the Tetsusaiga?

Words: 200

Genre: Drama / Angst

**Chasing Ghosts**

Inu no Taisho sat reduced to a desolate tower of bones and armor. Partially missing from his gaping maw was the left canine.

"Father, I seek to defeat you, the demon with supreme power."

Sesshomaru remembered the words as if he'd spoken them yesterday; and the desire that had accompanied smoldered unextinguished.

Two centuries ago, the Dog General's son knew he wouldn't have been able to match his father's power. Inu no Taisho's true form was easily ten times his own. The daiyokai thought that when the Great Dog had passed, he would inherit Tetsusaiga – the treasured fang imbued with Inu no Taisho's tremendous power.

Yet the blade was bequeathed not to the Western Heir, but to his illegitimate half-brother, that hanyo of tainted blood.

If he couldn't obtain the Dog General's strength through an heirloom, how else was Sesshomaru ever to know his worthiness to hold his father's esteemed position?

Sesshomaru shuddered. He despised these moments of apprehensive weakness. Two hundred years since Inu no Taisho's demise and he still remained uncertain.

He smirked mirthlessly. A grown dog-demon grasping for his father's assurance – only it wasn't there any longer. The last vestige rode at another's hip. Not Sesshomaru's.


	2. Obsesshion

Question: Why does Sesshomaru covet the Tetsusaiga?

Words: 250

Genre: Humor / Parody

**Ob – Sessh – ion**

"Oh, Lord Sesshomaru, you're back!" Rin pranced up to the demon as he entered the castle. Except he looked more sullen than usual, his eyelids were a millimeter less open.

"Is something troubling you, m'lord?" Jaken piped, watching Sesshomaru kick off his boots and shed his armor.

"Not now, Jaken," was all he droned.

Rin knew exactly what was wrong the instant she saw Sesshomaru trudge down the hall and into the second room to the right.

_He's seen it again,_ she thought.

The second room's screen was snapped shut, complete with the sign that read, "Keep out or die screaming."

Rin had only been inside once when Sesshomaru hadn't been home, and she made sure not to disturb anything. Though right now, sitting outside of the forbidden quarters, she could already visualize Sesshomaru treading across the furred carpet, fingering the fluff-lined drapes, flopping onto a fluffy bed, squeezing a furry pillow or five, and of course stroking the fluffy mane over his own shoulder.

_Oh, wait,_ Rin remembered. _There was _that_, too._

Now she could picture Sesshomaru's doleful gaze that weighted on the empty sword-holder. Yes, there was Tenseiga in the prop next to it, but the Heaven Fang didn't match. It's _tsuba_, handguard, didn't have a hair of fur.

Rin commenced the countdown.

3, 2, 1…now.

"InuYasha, how dare you get Tetsusaiga?! Now my fluffy collection shall forever remain incomplete! I _need_ Tetsusaigaaa!"

With rolling eyes, Rin turned and walked into her own room.

Geez, talk about obsession.


	3. A Stroke of Compassion

Question: What compels Sesshomaru to use the Tenseiga on Rin?

Words: 400

Genre: Drama / Hurt / Comfort

**A Stroke of Compassion**

The little girl's corpse lay stagnant.

_But that's typical of today's world,_ the demon thought.

Sesshomaru turned to go, but he couldn't leave that runt's smile behind. It wouldn't die with her. Worse yet, he started remembering. Remembering how she didn't run when she first saw him, feral and ferocious. Remembering how she brought him food even though he turned away each offering. Remembering that when he questioned her bruises and she couldn't verbally reply, but grinned that alien expression anyway. She smiled at him. Sesshomaru had never made anyone smile before.

It was grotesquely unfair. What had the human whelp done wrong? Indeed her generosity had been in vain, but did that penance death? Why did those demon wolves have to choose her for lunch? Was the world so arbitrarily cruel?

Sesshomaru paused, slightly shocked by this rare emotional wake. What reason had he to feel so adamantly about one expired mortal?

_What reason had she to fret over one weak and selfish demon?_

He flinched at the epiphany's bitter truth.

_There were those who'd been more fit to die, and it was her instead. _

Tenseiga, the fang of healing, materialized in the demon's grip. Surprisingly, the blade mimicked a throb within Sesshomaru's own chest. Trying to ignore it, he focused on the pallbearers from the Afterlife. He'd never seen them before, but what else were the imps clustered around the dead child?

_Dead child._

Could this Heaven Fang restore warm life to the stiff, cold body?

Sesshomaru raised his blade. Did he dare test it? The demon saw her smile superimposed over the cadaver. Warmth still lingered.

The Otherworld messengers were sliced as Tenseiga's stroke was completed.

He sheathed the blade and momentarily abandoned all demonic pride – he cradled the girl. Only she didn't stir. Had he really been so foolish as to give himself false hope?

Suddenly, there was a pulse. Soft at first, then stronger, more determined. Her eyes fluttered and she was blinking into amber ones.

He sighed. The silent, empty body was filled.

Although the world was scarcely any less cold, Sesshomaru – holding the revived girl – was certain something had thawed.


	4. Karma

Question: What compels Sesshomaru to use the Tenseiga on Rin?

Words: 570

Genre:Humor / Cuteness

**Karma**

_Jaken. Must. Die. _

So was Sesshomaru's mantra as he thought of various methods to dispatch the irritating toad-demon. Honestly, since Jaken had willingly become his retainer, the daiyokai felt like he had went from being served to being _stalked_. The imp was constantly at his heels, never granting Sesshomaru a moment of solitude – which would be bad enough if he didn't talk. Of course, Jaken couldn't pass a day without dialogue – unlike Sesshomaru, who could – and when he opened his beak nothing intelligent came out. Did he always have to state the obvious? To top it all off, Jaken was hideous. A grade-A eyesore.

Cracking his talons, Sesshomaru figured they would be a fit demise; but when he glanced back at his vassal, the demon began to question the weight of the benefits. Prior to Jaken, Sesshomaru never knew any servants with such devotion. Come to think of it, he had to kill four of them within one decade because either they got too lazy or caught the anathema of every good underling – self-esteem.

Sesshomaru also remembered that Jaken could actually use the Staff of Heads. None of the others before him could.

The daiyokai mentally growled. Such a paradox.

_All right, Jaken, _he thought_. You get to live for today. _

--

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes skyward as he picked up a now familiar scent.

_First InuYasha, then Jaken, and now this girl! Why am I the target of all these nuisances? Gods, why?!_

Right on schedule, a scruffy little urchin scampered out of the brush and presented Sesshomaru with an offering of unappetizing fish.

The twerp was so persistent. She made a habit of visiting him at least twice a day everyday since he'd been paralyzed from the Wind Scar.

_At least she's cuter than Jaken_, Sesshomaru smirked. Though, taking a second look, he noticed the vicious bruises.

"What happened to your face?"

Her mouth worked up and down for a minute, but she didn't answer.

Sesshomaru scoffed, "All right then, don't tell me." _So the girl is mute, eh? _

Suddenly, she leaned forward and smiled.

Sesshomaru couldn't fathom what there was to smile about. Her face was terribly marred – one eye had been swollen shut and her mouth was missing some teeth – yet the demon found himself thinking, _Indeed, she is certainly cuter than Jaken. _

--

"Lord Sesshomaru, did you have some use for this human?"

The daiyokai stared at the girl's mauled corpse. He turned on heel. "No."

Before he could take another step, Sesshomaru had a flashback of her smile. He began to reconsider his decision. She really _was_ a pain…just like…Sesshomaru's gaze fell on Jaken.

_Hmm, perhaps I should test Tenseiga's power. _

Slashing at the pallbearers from Beyond, Sesshomaru then stooped down to ascertain his results.

The child was breathing once more. She looked dazed, but otherwise alive. Sesshomaru held her a moment longer until…

"What? She's alive again?" Jaken squawked. "Lord Sesshomaru! Did you just revive that maiden with the Tenseiga?!"

_As if you don't have eyes. _

Sesshomaru stood. The girl was going to need to be cleaned up, fed, looked after…he almost grinned Jaken's way. That toad was going to be busy for a long time to come. And if this child ever started talking again – plans of extended leaves bubbled in the demon's mind.

_My dear Jaken,_ he thought, _karma is a many splendor thing. _

Sesshomaru strode into the forest, suppressing the urge to skip.


	5. Familial Silver

Question: Why does Sesshomaru grow his mane so long?

Words: 155

Genre: Drama / Angst

**Familial Silver**

Sesshomaru stared into the pond. A phlegmatic daiyokai gazed back, his amber eyes torches in the evening darkness. They reminded Sesshomaru of Father. The crescent symbol and silver hair that was three shades too light, though, didn't.

He recalled Inu no Taisho's profusion of dark silver; so unlike his own, yet everything like _the other one's._

_Another treasure that cur inherited._

Sesshomaru had been denied Tetsusaiga, refused his rite of passage, but then to be deprived even the simplest of his father's features – was he to be constrained to only memories for solace?

_How long was Father's mane?_ Fangs were gritted. _Why can't I remember?_

Sesshomaru hadn't cut his own hair in quite a while. Two hundred years to be exact.

He knelt, gliding talons through the pond water as if to catch what he could never keep.

_What I could never keep._

Sesshomaru rose, but not before claws scattered the already lost image.

--

_A/N: As one who is pretty much the spitting image of her father (and darn proud of it), I really sympathized with Sesshomaru on this one._ _Also if anyone has story suggestions or requests, I'll be more than obliged to write 'em out. Thank you for reading. _


	6. Summer Bummer

Question: Why doesn't Sesshomaru ever cut his long, silvery mane?

Words: 855

Genre: Humor / Friendship

_A/N: Anyone who's read _Perfect Destruction_ is already acquainted with Kai; but for those who haven't, he's my own character (to whom I claim all rights, blah, blah, blah), a rat-demon with the ability to control metal. At the time this story is set, he and Sesshomaru are about eight (in demon years) and are something of pals. I think we've all had an experience like this where we trust a friend a little too much._

-

**Summer Bummer**

Sesshomaru hadn't lived long enough to know too many vicious enemies, but right now – tongue lolling as he lay sprawled and panting on the ground – he cursed the intangible foe.

_I hate summer._

It was bad enough tote around a mane of fur over one's shoulder, but to have long, thick silver hair as well – Sesshomaru snarled at the scorching sun, and then at Kai.

Kai was a rat-demon, though he could have been easily mistaken for a village boy. His kimono was short cut and sleeveless and his jet-black hair was tied up in a topknot. Above all, it meant he wasn't going to die sweltering like his dog friend.

Kai smirked, "So what's got you down, Sesshomaru?"

"As if you didn't know," came the growled reply. "The forest is too humid, the ground is sizzling, and there's no breeze whatsoever! I'm melting!"

Kai scratched himself behind the ear with his foot, contemplating. "Ever think it's got anything to do with all that fur an' hair you've got?"

"Acute observation."

"I _mean_ you should get a hair cut." The demon dug his claws into the ground and summoned as much raw iron to his palm as his yoki could manage – it was his special talent.

Sesshomaru sat up to watch the metal mold into a pair of shears.

"There," Kai exhaled with effort when the tool was finished. "Now let's see about that rug on your head."

"I'm impressed, but I'm not crazy, Kai." The inu-yokai eyed the blades. "Are you sure you know how to use those?"

The rat snorted. "Oh, so you wanna suffer in the heat? Don't worry, Sessh, I've cut lots of people."

Something must have shown because Kai rolled his eyes and continued, "_Hair_. I've cut lots of people's – aw, geez, it was a _joke_. Now sit on that rock over there and let's do this."

Heaving a sigh, Sesshomaru perched on the nearest boulder and closed his eyes, trying to block out the sound of snipping shears.

After a few minutes, though, he did start to feel lighter and cooler.

"So how exactly would you like your hair cut?" Kai asked after the preliminary trimming.

"Hm, well I guess just enough so I can tie it in a topknot like yours."

"Oh." Kai was uncharacteristically quiet. "Are you sure you wouldn't want it real short?"

"Nah, shoulder-length's fine."

"Really? 'Cause I think it would look better closer to your head. You know, _short_."

Sesshomaru's eyes flicked to their corners. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

"No, no! I'm simply _sayin'_ it ought to be real short. Especially, oh, here."

"You made a _mistake_, didn't you?" Sesshomaru tried turning around, but Kai's claw shoved him back the other way.

"No, I can cover it up."

"Cover _what_ up? What'dya do wrong?!"

"Nothing!" Kai yelped defensively, and kept trimming. "I can't help it if your head has funny bumps that screw up my cutting."

"_Your_ head's gonna have 'funny bumps' if you don't tell me what –"

"Nrgh. Hold still!" Kai's claws swerved. "Oops."

"Oops?!" Sesshomaru was livid. "_Now_ what did you do?!"

"Relax. Uh…let's try balancing out your bangs."

The daiyokai watched in barely contained mortification as clumps of silver hair dropped onto his lap. He grumbled, "This had better look good, rat-kid."

Kai wasn't sure what else to do, so he kept clipping. "Uh, you'll love it." Clip, clip, clip. "It's like a new style."

"Style? Like how?"

Kai paused. "Think, uh, cropped."

Sesshomaru tried being optimistic. "Okay, so like a 'manly spirited' cut?"

The snipping continued. "In some places, um, yeah."

"I. Want. A. Mirror."

The shears stopped. "You know what's all the rage this century? …Eboshi hats."

Sesshomaru bolted, dug into his robes, and whipped out his personal looking-glass. "_Amaratsu!_ My hair! I look like I've got mange!" Sure enough, claws scrabbled over a nearly bald scalp. Sesshomaru stalked toward Kai.

"N-now wait a sec," he stammered in an appeasing tone. "I g-got an idea. Just wait here." Kai zoomed off and promptly returned with a farmer's conical hat.

"There, see?" he said, slapping it on Sesshomaru. "Sort of the 'undercover samurai' look!"

"Sort of the 'peasant with a hang-over' look."

"Hey, who was goin', 'Oh gods, I'm sweating! Help me, the fool who walks around with fur and a ridiculous mane in the middle of summer!'" Kai clawed dramatically at the sky. "'Oh, I'm melting! I'm melting!'"

"All right, shut up!" Sesshomaru snapped. "Obviously, I'll just have to wait until it grows back." He pivoted on heel toward home to sit out the week.

_Well, I suppose it wasn't entirely Kai's fault. I do feel cooler and he was jus trying to help –_

"Ack!" Sesshomaru leapt his height as a sudden puff of air addled his now very exposed neck.

Spinning around, the dog-demon saw his "friend" dashing over the next hill, laughing all the way.

"Run, rat! Run!" Sesshomaru loped after Kai. He made a silent promise not to kill him – maybe just maim a little – and added another vow.

_No one is coming within an inch of my hair again._

Sesshomaru kept both.


	7. Excessive Explanations

Question: What is the purpose of Sesshomaru's fluff?

Words: 310

Genre: Warm father-daughter cuteness.

**Excessive Explanations**

Sesshomaru stifled a groan. He'd made the error of setting down for the night _before_ Rin had fallen asleep. The demon thought she was too preoccupied bamboozling Jaken with question, but apparently Rin hadn't any qualms about switching subjects. She wasted no time bounding over to Sesshomaru.

"So anyway, I was asking Master Jaken why he was green and he said because he was born that way, but I always thought there was a more interesting explanation. What about you, m'lord? What about your face stripes? Are they there 'cause you were born that way, too? Huh?"

With no small effort, the daiyokai kept a stoic mask. "I was born with them."

"Oh. What about your fluffy thingy?"

He winced. "I was born with my _mokomoko-sama_ as well."

"No, what I was asking was what's the purpose of all that fur?"

"Shouldn't you be going to sleep by now, Rin?"

She yawned accordingly, but persisted, "Can't you just tell me? Is it just for show? Do you need it to keep warm at night? Why's it there?"

Sesshomaru sighed in wonder at his own patience. The girl was already seated and fluffing his mane, not a second thought to his opinions. "Well," he mumbled, "it's part of me. The same fur I have in my true shape. My father had two. It's a dog-demon attribute, more or less." Sesshomaru paused. That had been quite a mouthful for the taciturn demon. He decided to continue. "I try and make it useful. Sometimes in battle, I'll extend it to addle an opponent." His lips twitched. "Or constrict them. Otherwise, I suppose mokomoko-sama's _purpose_ is…"

Soft snores told Sesshomaru he needn't explain any further. Rin sighed in her sleep, snuggling deeper into the fur – like every other night.

Sesshomaru indulged a rolling of eyes. "Rin, don't ask questions to which you already know the answer."


End file.
